Directional control device



Nov. 13, 1934.

E. C. ECKER DIRECT IONAL CONTROL DEVICE Filed April 24, 1934 2 sheets-sheet 1 ATTORNEY Nov. 13, 1934. E Cf ECKR 1,980,259

DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DEVICE Filed April 24. 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR mmw@ ATTO R N EY Patented Nov. 13, 1934 zu web isrnras Parr-ENT' The invention relates to al directional control device and more especiallyto a foot-depressedfand turned directional control.

The primary object of the inventionvisthe'provision of a rdevice of this characterjwhereinum der the action of the foot of a personjthe-contro'l of a moving -vehiclefor the directional `course thereof may be effected, as for-example,fthe'rud der of a boat fmay be regulated fromthe foot of i@ an operator vor occupant of theboat'bypressure of the foot and the turning of the same for/directingthe courseof such boat and the adjustment of the ruddermaintained in afdetermined position, or the said rudder 'freely adjusted"'for i the quick altering of the directional courseoffthe' boat. f

Another object of the invention is the'provision of a -device of this lcharacter, -wherein the directional control of a fmov'ing object may be had throughappledfoot pressure combine'cbwit'h a rotative movementvof such pressure and thus eliminating the necessity of the use of the hands of a person for actuating such control, the device being applicable for the directional movement yof aircraft, landcraft, watercraft, elevators, me-

chanical shovels, swinging crane arms or other mechanisms and appliances without aid of the hands of a person or inconvenience to the latter or excessive labor.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which is extremely simple in its construction, thoroughly reliable and effective in its purposes, readily and easily actuated, assuring safe and easy control, strong, durable, and inexpensive to manufacture and install.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose one form of embodiment of the invention, and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view through a boat showing an outboard motor unit and rudder, with the device constructed in accordance with the invention applied.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional View through the device.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 4 4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary elevation.

Aligurelisa top plan `View partly lbroken away.

vFigure l3 yisla sectional view on the -line 8-8 of Figure 4. y

Similar yreference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the ysever-al views in the drawings. Y

IReferring -to the I"drawings `in detail, A designateslgenerally aportion of a boat', this being illustrated :merely :to show one mode of applicationo'f the device constituting the present invention, and 1B- is.r anfoutboard motorA constituting the driving unit for the propeller-C, fthe 'latter being carried bythe vrudder '.10 'for saidboat. Therud-v der 'l0 vis turned through the medium `fof agear 11 meshing with afcompanion .pinion 12 rotated' from afsnaft 1-3 inboardfof saidboat.

The device, in the application to Ytheboat A, comprisesa suitable vhousing -14which is arrangedjfwithinthe boatbody 'atthe desired locality. yIn one fendporti'onof `the housing .lf is la driven pulley 15 having the universal coupling 16 with the shaft 13.

Suitably fitted in the base of the housing 14 at the other end thereof is a stud vaxle 17 upon which is loosely journaled a control pulley 18 about which is trained the belt 19 which is also trained about the pulley 15, so that these will operate in unison with each other. Upon the stud axle 17 is loosely fitted a hub 20 for a turning disk or table 21, the same being exteriorly of and above the housing Vll. The hub carries a spring tensioned latch 22 to engage with an annular channel or groove 23 exteriorly formed in the stud axle 17 so that in this manner the said hub is releasably engaged with the axle. The hub is not only free for rotation upon the axle 17 but it also has a limited vertical sliding movement corresponding to the depth of the groove or channel 23 in said axle.

The lower side of the hub is provided with a` clutch face 24 for engaging a clutch face 25 at the upperside of the pulley 18, while the inner side of the top of the housing 14 is provided with a clutch face 26, this cooperating with a clutch face 27 on said pulley 18. Therefore, it will be seen that the pulley 18 may be latched with the top of the housing 14 and also latched with the hub 20 of the turntable 21. When these partsare in latched relation, and particularly when the pulley 18 is clutched with the housing, the said pulley 18 is prevented from turning and likewise the table 21.

Surrounding the stud axle 17 below the pulley 'with the housing, so that the pulley will be locked against turning movement. The crown piece 29 is formed with an outturned annular ange 30 offset from the under face of the pulley 18 and constituting a seat for a pedal 3l, the latter having the center yoke 32 encircling the said crown piece 29, and this pedal is loosely pivoted, at` 33,

within the housing at one side of the stud axle 17, while at the other side of the latter the pedal is extended through a. Z slot 34 formed in the side of the housing 14, so that the outside end of the pedal can be foot manipulated. On the passing vof the pedal in the slot 34 from the highest end thereof, which is the normal position, into the lower end, Athe spring 28 will be compressed and thus lowering the pulley V18 on the stud axle 17- for unclutching this pulley from the housing 14 and in this position the turntable 21 can be turned to impart rotation to said pulley 18, the rotary movement of the pulley being transmitted by the belt 19 to the pulley l5 and its motion transferred to the rudder 10 for the directional control of travel of the boat A, as will be apparent. When the pedal is returned to normal position in the slot 34, that is tov say, at the highest end of said slot, the pulley 18 will be clutched with the top of the housing 14 and thus locked` against turning movement. be apparent that on the raising and lowering of the pulley 18 upon the stud axle 1f? the hub 20 will be constantly in clutched engagement with said pulley.

'I'he turntable `21 is designed for foot Vapplied power so that a person can s tep upon the, said table 21 and by downward pressure unlatch or it will unclutch the pulley 18 from the top of the housing 14 and by a rotary motion of the foot upon the table 21 while depressed, the rudder 10 can be regulated for the directional course of travel of the boat A. The instant that the pressure of the foot is released irom the table 21, the spring 28 acts upon the pulleyv 18 to clutch it with the top of the housing 14 and thereby latch the rudder in its adjusted position, unless the pedal 31 is moved from normalcy to unclutch the pulley 18 from the top of said housing, and in this pof sition the rudder 10 will not be latched but can be freely turned by foot pressure upon the table 2l and slight turning of the foot under this application.

It should be obvious that the device is susceptible of many applications for directional control of an object and, therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the expressed application in the drawings and the foregoing description except as come within the scopeof the claimshereunto appended.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the character described, a`

driven pulley, a power pulley, connections between the pulleys, means', for clutching the power pulley to hold the same stationary, foot operated means for releasing the power pulley from' clutched position and for driving the same, and a pedal for moving the power pulley from clutched position. I f

2. In a device of the character described, a

driven pulley, a powerpulley, connections be tween the pulleys, means for clutching the power pulley yto hold the same stationary, foot operated means for` releasing the power pulley from` clutched position and for driving the same, a pedal for moving the power pulley from clutched position, and means fordetachably clutching the foot operated means with the `power pulley.

EUGENE C. ECKER. 

